Braintree District Council Braintree Green Spaces Strategy www.braintree.gov.uk September 2008 Contents Introduction 1 1 The Vision 2 2 Policy Context 4 3 Aims and Objectives 15 4 Developing Standards 16 5 Application of Provision Standards 45 6 Raising the Quality of Open Spaces 54 7 Management and Maintenance 59 8 The Action Plan 63 9 Setting Priorities 65 10 Monitoring and Review Procedures 66 11 Marketing 67 12 Funding 68 Appendices Appendix 1: Open Space Audit 2006 70 Appendix 2: Corporate Action Plan 2007-2008 182 Appendix 3: Branding, Events and Accessibility 184 Appendix 4: Braintree District Local Plan Review: Open Space Proposals Not Yet Implemented 188 Appendix 5: New Open Space Proposals 191 Appendix 6: Open Space Audit Survey Form 196 List of Tables Table 1 Quantity Analysis of Open Space 17 Table 2 Current Provision and Proposed Standards 19 Table 3 Setting Accessibility Standards - Expected Travel Times (Household Surveys) 24 Table 4 Setting Accessibility Standards 26 | Braintree Green Spaces Strategy: September 2008 Table 5 Quality: Value Matrix 52 List of Maps Map 2 Application of Provision Standards - Parks and Gardens 29 Map 3 Application of Provision Standards - Outdoor Sports Provision 30 Map 4 Application of Provision Standards - Amenity Green Spaces 31 Map 5 Application of Provision Standards - Provision for Children and Young People 32 Map 6 Existing Provision - Natural and Semi-natural Greenspaces 33 Map 7 Existing Provision - Green Corridors 34 Map 8 Existing Provision - Cemeteries and Burial Grounds 35 Map 9 Existing Provision - Cemeteries and Burial Grounds 36 Map 10 Catchment Areas and Deficiencies - Parks and Gardens 37 Map 11 Catchment Areas and Deficiencies - Natural and Semi-natural Greenspaces 38 Map 12 Catchment Areas and Deficiencies - Green Corridors 39 Map 13 Catchment Areas and Deficiencies - Outdoor Sports Provision 40 Map 14 Catchment Areas and Deficiencies - Amenity Green Spaces 41 Map 15 Catchment Areas and Deficiencies - Childrens Play Provision 42 Map 16 Catchment Areas and Deficiencies - Allotments 43 Map 17 Catchment Areas and Deficiencies - Cemeteries and Burial Grounds 44 Braintree Green Spaces Strategy: September 2008 | 1 Introduction The need for a green spaces strategy has arisen from the growing recognition of the importance of outdoor activity as a key contributor to a healthy lifestyle. Open spaces and sport and recreation underpin people’s quality of life and are fundamental to delivering the broader Government objectives of supporting an urban renaissance, supporting a rural renewal, promoting social inclusion and community cohesion, health and well being and promoting more sustainable development. The Government recognises that open space and sport and recreation facilities can make our towns and villages better places in which to live, and the role of planning in ensuring that there are sufficient of them and that they are in the right places. They also need to be of high quality, attractive to use and well managed and maintained. The focus on concentrating development within existing towns makes open spaces attractive for development, and therefore they need to be safeguarded by the planning system. The local strategic partnership, Communities and People Together (PACT), envisages a safer, cleaner and healthier District, promoted by improved leisure facilities and safeguarded through protection of the countryside and enhancement of the natural and built environment. Two of the key directions of Braintree District Council are to create a cleaner and greener District and making the District a better place to live, work and play. The key aims of the Strategy are to provide accessible high quality green spaces and sport and recreation facilities which meet the recreational needs of all sections of the community, to engage the local community to participate in their improvement and to raise their profile and promote their benefit to the District. It draws on the results of the PPG17 open space audit and the household, user and sports clubs surveys that provide the basis for setting provision, quality and accessibility standards. The Strategy makes recommendations for the provision and improvement of green spaces, and provides a basis developing planning policies and proposals and improving the management and maintenance of green spaces. | Braintree Green Spaces Strategy: September 2008 2 1.0 The Vision 1.1 It is important to set out a vision of how green spaces will be in the future with regard to their role in the community and their impact on the environment. The following visions statements were adopted by the Green Spaces Strategy Development Group on 27 July 2007: Overall 1.2 One of the Council’s Directions and Ambitions is to provide attractive and cleaner open spaces which enhance the well being and quality of life for residents and visitors. Its open spaces and sports and recreation facilities contribute to a healthy, safe, cleaner and greener District in which: a. The recreational needs of residents for open spaces and sport and recreation facilities are met; b. All localities have good access to open space and sport and recreation facilities; c. All sections of the community, including those with physical, visual and learning impairment, have access to open spaces and sport and recreation facilities; d. Sustainable practices are core to the management of all open spaces; e. Green spaces are managed to maximise biodiversity through the protection and enhancement of wildlife habitats; and f. Green spaces are managed to protect and enhance the historic environment and to maximise their cultural value. 1.3 Our vision is to provide high quality, accessible, green spaces that meet the needs of all, including both Braintree’s residents and visitors. The following visions were set for the six types of green space included in the audit: Parks and Urban Greenspace 1.4 Definition: Urban parks, formal gardens and country parks that provide opportunities for a variety of informal recreation and community events. High quality, accessible, well maintained, safe and attractive parks and urban green spaces, in which residents have the opportunity to lead active, healthy lifestyles and are encouraged to care for their parks and open spaces. The parks and green spaces form a well connected network of spaces that are well designed, providing safe and pleasant areas to sit, walk or play, which include well maintained facilities including sufficient seats, bins and toilets, and are clean and free from fouling and litter. Amenity Green Spaces 1.5 Definition: Green spaces and planting designed primarily to soften the urban fabric, providing a setting for the built environment. High quality, well-designed, clean, well maintained areas free of litter and fouling, providing a visual amenity and relief from the built form for nearby residents. Mostly laid to grass they also include areas of tree and shrub planting to create habitat for fauna and flora. Braintree Green Spaces Strategy: September 2008 | 3 Sports and Recreation Facilities 1.6 Definition: Natural or artificial surfaces, publicly or privately owned which are used for formal sport and recreation. A range of high quality, well-designed and accessible sports and recreation facilities that meet the future needs of the District’s residents.The facilities are well equipped and well maintained, with high quality playing surfaces supported by adequate changing rooms and parking and free of litter and fouling. High quality facilities are encouraging greater participation in sport and recreation in the District and are helping to create a healthy community. Natural and Semi-natural Greenspaces 1.7 Definition: Areas of mostly undeveloped land with limited or no maintenance which have been colonised by vegetation and wildlife – includes woodlands, river banks, river floodplains and wetlands, dismantled railways, scrub, grassland and disused mineral workings. The District’s residents enjoy high quality, well-designed natural and semi-natural greenspaces within the urban areas and the countryside. These spaces are managed to encourage native flora and fauna and increase biodiversity and some provide an educational resource. These spaces are appropriately designed and maintained so that there is a balance between visitor activity and the need to safeguard the natural environment. Green corridors 1.8 Definition: Linear green spaces including riverside paths, cycleways, unmetalled rights of way such as byways and bridleways and dismantled railways where the primary purpose is to provide opportunities for walking, cycling and horse riding. A network of green corridors, managed to promote biodiversity, provide attractive routes between open spaces for the District’s residents and enable the movement and refuge of wildlife in both urban and rural areas. Children’s Play Spaces 1.9 Definition: Equipped play areas, skateboard areas and teenage shelters and other spaces with the primary purpose of providing opportunities for play and social interaction involving children and young people. Accessible, well-designed, high quality play areas that provide a safe environment in which children of all ages and abilities develop their imagination and have fun. Any equipment is safe, well designed and well maintained. | Braintree Green Spaces Strategy: September 2008 4 2.0 Policy Context National Agenda for Open Spaces The Urban White Paper - Our Towns and Cities - The Future (2000) 2.1 This initiative brought greenspace and open spaces out of the cold